Variable speed unit control



June 19, 1934. H, C. CLAY ET AL 1,963,827

VARIABLE SPEED UNIT CONTROL I N V EN TOR .4 TT'ORNEYS June 19, 1934.

H. C. CLAY ET AL VARIABLE SPEED UNIT CONTROL Filed oct. 9, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR A TTORNEYJ June 19, 1934. H C CLAY Er AL 1,963,827

VARIABLE SPEED UNIT CONTROL Patented June 19, 1934 PATENT OFFICE VARIABLE SPEED UNIT CONTROL Harry C. Clay, Charles L. Irwin, and Paul B. Reeves, Columbus, 1nd., assignors to Reeves Pulley Company, Columbus, Ohio, a corporay tion of Indiana Application October 9, 1930, Serial No. 487,625

9 Claims.

The present application relates to a variable speed unit control, and more particularly to means for controlling the setting of a variable speed unit in response to the demands of mechanism driven through said unit. The primary object of the invention is to provide means of the character described which shall be highly sensitive to demands of the master mechanism. which shall be sumciently resilient in character to prevent damage as the result of sudden large demands, and which shall be unusually emcient in operation. Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood, however, that said drawings are illustrative only and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of control mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, a part of the casing being broken away, and parts of the operating mechanism being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a broken end elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism. portions of the mechanism having been removed and a part thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation on a reduced scale of an organization in which the control of the present application may be used. parts thereof being broken away;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the same;

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of the control and the motor controlled thereby and Fig. 8 is a view of a detail.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that I have illustrated my control in connection with a veneer cutter, such cutter comprising a frame 10 including rotary means for mounting a log 11, such means being driven from a pulley 12 which, in turn, is driven through a belt 13 from the pulley 14 on the output shaft 15 of a variable speed transmission unit which, in the present instance, is illustrated as a unit 16 of the well known Reeves type.

` The veneer cutter, as usual, comprises a knife 17 adapted to cooperate with the log 11 as said log rotates to peel of! a thin layer of wood. The knife 17, of course, is mounted upon a screw shaft 18 suitably geared to the driving mechanism oi' the machine so that, as the machine operates, the knife 17 moves toward the vertical plane including the axis of the log 11. A flexible tension member 19 is connected to the knife 17 and passes under a guide 20 on a post 2l. As will be obvious movement of the knife 17 in the operation of the machine effects movement of the member 19. The result oi' this movement will be described later.

As is well known, the Reeves type" of transmission comprises a frame mounting an input shaft 22 suitably driven by a belt 23 or other driving member and mounting a pair of axially shiftable conical discs 24. The output shaft 15 similarly mounts a pair of axially shiftable conical discs 25, and an edge-active belt 26 cooperates with the pulleys formed by the discs 24 and the a discs 25. 'I'he discs 2 4 and 25 are operatively connected to shifting leversk 27 and 28, said levers being connected through the medium of a link 29. A shifting screw shaft 30 is mounted in the frame and carries lugs 31 to which corresponding ends of the levers 27 and 28 are connected so that, as the shaft 30 is rotated in one direction or the other, the'levers 27 and 28 are shifted in opposite directions whereby the discs of one pair are moved toward each other while the discs of the other pair are moved away from each other.

According to the present invention, a motor 32 is mounted adjacent the transmission unit, preferably being mounted on the frame thereof. The shaft of said motor carries a pinion meshing with a gear 33 carried on the shaft 30, said gear and pinion being enclosed in a housing 34 formed with a small lateral extension 35 (Fig. 5) for housing the pinion.

The motor shaft can'ies also a brake drum 36 with which cooperates a pair of brake shoes 37 and 38 pivoted at their adjacent ends as at 39 and 40. A bolt 41 extends through registering apertures in the opposite ends of said brake shoes and is provided at its one end with an adjusting nut 42 adapted to adjust the compression of a spring 43 bearing against said nut and against the end of one of said shoes, the head of the bolt 41 bearing against the corresponding end of the other brake shoe, whereby the effect of said spring is to clamp said shoes upon the drum 36. A lever 44 is pivoted at 45 on the free end of the shoe 37 and is provided with an abutment 46 engaging the corresponding end of the shoe 38 whereby oscillation of the lever 44 in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 8) spreads the shoes 37 and 38 to release the motor shaft. Suitable means i; lever e4.

is provided for operating the lever 44, and such means, in the illustrated embodiment, takes the form or a solenoid 47 the core 48 of which carries a pin Li9 engaging the under surface of the Energiaation of the solenoid 47 elevates the core 48 to oscillate the lever 44, and gravity and the effect of the spring 48 will re turn the lever to the illustrated position upon deenergization of the solenoid r47.

The control unit is indicated generally at 59 (Fig. 6) and, reference being had more particula-rly to Figs. 1 to 1i, it will be seen that this unit comprises a casina' 51 upon which is mounted a base member 52 carrying an inverted U-shaped supplemental base element 52', A journal 53 is stationarily supported in one edge of the base member 52 and has oscillably mounted thereon carriage 54 provided with a finger 55 extending upwardly therefrom and projecting beyond one end of said carriage. To the lower face of the carriage 5. there are secured four mercury tubes 56, 57, 58 and 59, auch tubes being of well lrnown -form, and the tubes 56 and 58 being oppositely positioned with respect to the tubes 57 and 59. This construction provides for a neutral position of the carriage wherein the mercury in all oi the tubes is so positioned as not to close the circuits therethrough, position in which the circuits through the tubes 56 and 58 are closed while the circuits through the tubes 57 and 59 are open, and a position in which the circuits through the tubes 57 and 59 are closed while the circuits through the tubes 56 and 58 are open.- A set screw 60 may be provided for securing the journal 58 ,i in place.

A post 61 is mounted in the base member 52 and projects upwardly thereabove at a point removed from the edge or the base memberin which the journal 58 is mounted. A lever 62 is pivotally mounted on said post 61 and carries an upstanding pin 63 extending into cooperative relation with the end of the ringer 55. A post 64 is mounted upon the lever 62 and projects upwardly therefrom at a point between the post 61 and the pin 63. The biiurcated end 65 of a link 66 is operatively engaged with the post 64. Said link 66 is provided intermediate its ends with a foot 67 slidably resting upon the base member 52, and adjacent its end opposite the bifurcated end said link 66 receives a screw 68 through the medium of which one end of a, link 69 is secured to said linlr 66. rthe opposite end of the link 69 is pivoted as at 70 to an end of the shifting lever 27 of the variable speed ltransmission unit 16, or to the block 81 cooperative with said lever. At a point adjacent the last-mentioned end of said link 66 there is mounted an upstanding pin 71.

A post 72 is mounted upon the supplemental base member 52 and projects upwardly therefrom, said post being so positioned that the post 64 may be swung into alignment therewith. An operating lever is provided with a hub 73 swivelled on said post 72, and said lever comprises an arm 74 terminating in a hub 75 swivelled on the pin 71, and an oppositely projecting arm 76 which is broadened as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. At the opposite sides of the broadened arm 76 there are mounted upstanding posts 77 and 78, the upper ends oi said posts being provided with annular collars 79. An operating arm 80 is formed with an end 81 broadened substantially to the dimensions of the arm 76, and said end is formed or provided with substantially semi-cylindrical abutment elements 82 and 83 upstanding from its opposite sides and adapted to cooperate with the posts 77 and 78 respectively, said abutment members being so proportioned as to be received bctween the upper surface of the arm 76 of the operating lever and the collars 79. Adjacent to hub 73, the operating lever is provided with an upstanding pin 84 to which is secured one end o1 a contractile spring 85, the opposite end of which is secured to a pin 87 upstanding from the operating arm 80. Adjacent its outer end, the operating arm 8O may be provided with a pair of apertures 88 through the medium of which there may be secured to said arm an extension member 89 upon which is slidably mounted an adjustable collar 90 to which is secured the free end of the flexible member 19.

A pair of screws 91 are mounted in opposite sides of the supplemental base member 52 and said screws are adjustable to limit the oscillation of the link 66. Similarly, a pair of screws 92 are mounted in opposite sides of the base member 52 and are adjustable to limit the oscillation oi the lever 62.

As will be obvious, as the knife 17 moves during the normal operation of the machine, it carries with it the attached end of the flexible member 19 with the result that the arm 80 of the control unit is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6. While no means is shown in the present application for moving the arm 8O in the opposite direction, it will be obvious that the control unit of the present application may be used in organizations in which a controlling element may be normally movable in opposite directions to shift the arm 80 in either direction.

As has been stated, Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of the control unit with the motor controlled thereby. In said figure, 93 indicates one wire of a pair connected to a source of electrical energy, said wire being connected to a terminal 94 upon a panel 95. The other wire 96 of said pair is connected to a second terminal 97 on said panel 95. A Wire 98 leads from the terminal 94 to one terminal 99 of the solenoid 47, and to the other terminal 100 of said solenoid there is connected a wire 101 leading to a terminal 102 on the panel 95. Four wires lead from the terminal 102, the wire 103 being connected to one terminal 104 of the mercury tube 56; the wire 105 leading to the terminal 106 of the mercury tube 58; the wire 107 leading to the terminal 108 of the mercury tube 57; and the wire 109 leading to the terminal 110 of the mercury tube 59.

lThe opposite terminal 111 of the mercury tube 56 is connected by a wire 112 with the terminal 97 on the panel 95. rlThe opposite terminal 113 of the mercury tube 57 is likewise connected with said terminal 97 by a wire 114. The opposite terminal 115 of the mercury tube 58 is connected by a wire 116 with a terminal 117 on the panel 95, said terminal 117 being connected likewise through a wire 118 with the reverse terminal 119 of the motor 32. The opposite terminal 120 of the mercury tube 59 is connected by wire 121 with a terminal 122 on the panel 95, said terminal being connected by the Wire 123 with the forward terminal 124 of the motor 23. A wire 125 connects the terminal 94 with the common terminal 126 of the motor 32. It will thus be seen that a position of the carriage 54 in which the circuits through the mercury tubes 57 and 59 are closed will result in forward rotation of the motor, whereas a position of the carriage 54 in which the circuits through the mercury tubes 56 and 58 are closed will result in reverse rotation of the motor 32.

In the operation of the illustrated system, a.

log 1i is positioned in the machine. The knife 17 is advanced to a position to begin cutting. Ihe variable speed transmission unit 16 is manually adjusted to drive the veneer cutting machine at the desired speed. The exible member i9 is then connected to the knife 17 and the prime mover is energized to drive transmission unit 16 and, through said unit, the veneer cutter 10. As the veneer cutter operates, the knife 17 moves slowly forward with the result that the arm 80 of the control unit is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. Such movement is transmitted through the abutment member 82 and the spring 85 to the operating lever to move the huh 75 of said lever downwardly as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4. This movement results, since the link 69 holds the screw 68 stationary, in a counter-clockwise rotation of the link 66 about the axis of the screw 68. In this movement, the bifurcated end of the link 66 carries with it the pin 64 on the lever 62, thus moving the lever 62 in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivotal axis 61. Since, as is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the carriage 54 is biased toward clockwise rotation as viewed in Fig. 3, this movement of the lever 62 permits a slight clockwise movement of the carriage 54. If this movement is carried far enough, the mercury in the tubes 57 and 59 will flow toward the right-hand ends of said tubes as viewed in Fig. 3"to close the circuit between the terminals 108 and 113 of the tube 57 and to close the circuit between the terminals 110 and 120 of the tube 59. Such movement establishes a circuit for energizing the solenoid 47 as follows: power line 93, terminal 94, wire 98, terminal 99, solenoid 47, terminal 100, wire 101, terminal 102, wire 107, terminal 108, mercury tube 57, terminal 113, wire 114, terminal 97, and power line 96. The motor shaft is thus released for operation. Such movement of the carriage likewise establishes a motor energizing circuit as follows: power line 93, terminal 94, wire 125, common motor terminal 126, motor 32, forward motor terminal 124, wire 123, terminal 122, wire 121, terminal 120, mercury tube 59, terminal 110, wire 109, terminal 102, wire 107, terminal 108, mercury tube 57, terminal 113, wire 114, terminal 97, and power line 96. Such rotation of the motor drives the shaft 30 throng.l the motor shaft pinion and the gear 33 to shift the blocks 31, the shaft 30 being rotated in such a direction as to move the discs 24 toward each other and to separate the discs 25 whereby the speed of rotation of the shaft 15 is increased.' But as the blocks 31 move toward each other the end of the link 69 pivoted to the lever 27 is moved downwardly as seen in Fig. 6 to swing the link 66 in a clockwise direction about the post 71 which is now stationary because of the cessation of movement of the operating lever. Such movement of the link 66 results, because of the cooperation of the bifurcated end 65 thereof with the post 64 on the lever 62, in a clockwise movement of the lever 62, and the pin 63 on said lever cooperates with the finger 55 on the carriage 54 to move said carriage back into its neutral position shown in Fig. 3 and indicated in Fig. 7.

While, as has been said, the illustrated embodiment does not include automatic means for moving the arm in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, it will be obvious that such means might be included and that, if the arm 80 is moved in such direction, the abutment member 83 thereof and the spring 85 will cooperate to shift the operating lever in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in said figure. Such movement of the operating lever'will swing the link 66 in a clockwise direction about the screw 68, and will result in clockwise movement of the lever 62'to effect counter-clockwise movement of the carriage 54 as seen in Fig. 3. Such movement of the carriage 54 closes the circuits through the mercury tubes 56 and 58, providing a solenoid energizing circuit as follows: power line 93, terminal 94, wire 98, terminal 99, solenoid 47, terminal 100, wire 101, terminal 102, wire 103, terminal 104, mercury tube l56, terminal 111, wire 112, terminal 97, and power line 96. Such movement of the carriage 54 will also close a motor energizing circuit as follows: power line 93, terminal 94, wire 125, common motor terminal 126, motor 32, reverse motor terminal 119, wire 118, terminal 117, wire 116, terminal 115, mercury tube 58, terminal 106, wire 105, terminal 102, wire 103, terminal 104, mercury tube 56, terminal 111, wire 112, terminal 97, and power line 96. So energized, the motor will rotate to drive the shaft 30 in such a direction as to cause the blocks 31 to move away from each other, thus separating the discs 24 and causing the discs 25 to approach each other to decrease the speed of the shaft 15. 'I'his movement of the blocks 31 carries the link 69 with the lever 27 to swing the link 66 in a counter-clockwise direction about the now stationary post 71, and such movement of the link 66 effects counter-clockwise movement' of the lever 62 to permit the carriage 54 to return to its neutral position, thus stopping the motor 32.

It will be obvious that the particular connection of the arm 80 to the operating lever is such as to permit movement of said arm beyond the permissible movement of the operating lever. For instance, if the arm 80 is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 to such extent that the operating lever is not able to follow. it, said arm will pivot about the post 77, the abutment member 83 leaving the post 78, and the circuits through the mercury tubes 57 and 59 will remain closed until the blocks 31 have moved far enough to cause the link 66 to move to a position in which the operating lever and the arm 80 are again aligned.

We claim as our invention:

l. The combination with a reversing motor and its circuits, of a control unit comprising a. base, a carriage rockably mounted on said base, circuitclosers mounted on said carriage and connected in said motor circuits, said circuit-closers being arranged and connected to cause clockwise rotation of said motor upon tilting of said carriage in one direction from its neutral position, and to cause counterclockwise rotation of said motor upon tilting of said carriage in the opposite direction from its neutral position, a lever mounted on said base and cooperable with said carriage to tilt the same, and means mounted on said base for operating said lever, said means comprising an element movable to shift said lever, and a second element pivotally connected with said first element and movable to restore said lever to its original position after such shifting without upon tilting of said carriage in the opposite direction from its vneutral position, lever mounted on said base and cooperable with said carriage to tilt the same, and means mounted on said base for operating said lever, said means comprising an element movable to shift said lever, and a second element pivotally connected with said first element and movable to` counteract the effect on said lever of the movement of said first element.

3. The combination with an electric motor and its circuit, of a control unit comprising a switch connected in such circuit, and means, operatively connected to said switch but carrying no element thereof, for operatingv said switch, said means comprising a pair of pivotally connected elements shiftable without relative movement of its two parts as a unit without affecting said switch, but operable to affect said switch by relative movement of said elements.

a. The combination with an electric motor and its circuit, of a control unit comprising a switch connected in such circuit, and means, operatively connected to said switch but carrying no element thereof, for operating said switch, said means comprising a pair of pivotally connected elements shiftable without relative movement of its two parts as a unit in either direction without affecting said switch, but operable to affect said switch by relative movement of said elements in either direction.

5. A control unit comprising a rockable carriage, a pair of oppositely disposed mercury tube switches mounted on said carriage, said carriage being biased toward a position in which one of said tubes is in circuit-closing position, means for moving said carriage against its bias to bring the other of said tubes into circuit-closing position, and means connected in the circuit of said last-named tube for releasing said carriage.

6. A control unit comprising a rockable carriage, a pair of oppositely disposed mercury tube switches mounted on said carriage, a reversing motor, said switches being connected in the circuits for said motor, and operating means for said carriage comprising mechanism shiitable as a whole when the switch carriage is in its neutral position, without affecting said carriage, but including an element movable in one direction relative to another element of said mechanism to rock said carriage in one direction to bring one of said tubes into circuit-closing position, and movable in the opposite direction relative to said other element to bring the other of said tubes into circuit-closing position, said other element being connected to said motor and being operable thereby, to counteract, after an interval, the switchclosing effect of movement of said first element in either direction.

7. In combination, a prime mover, mechanism adapted to be driven thereby, a variable-speed transmission unit connected between said prime mover and said mechanism, and automatic means for controlling said transmission in accordance with the demands of said mechanism comprising a movable element in said mechanism, and a control unit including power means connected to shift the elements of said transmission unit,

means controlling the supply of energy to saidv power means, and actuating means for said lastnamed means comprising a lever operatively ccnnected thereto, a second lever, a link connecting said levers, means connecting said movable element to shift said second lever with respect to said link, and means including said power means operable in response to movement of said second lever to shift said link to restore the normal relation between said lever and link.

8. In combination, a prime mover, mechanism adapted to be driven thereby, a variable-speed transmission unit connected between said prime mover and said mechanism, and automatic means for controlling said transmission in accordance with the demands of said mechanism comprising a movable element in said mechanism, and a control unit including an electric motor connected to shift the elements of said transmission unit, a rockable carriage, a mercury tube switch mounted on said carriage and connected in the circuit of said motor, a lever operatively associated with said carriage to tilt the same to move said tube into circuit-closing position, a second lever, a link operatively connecting said levers, means connecting said movable element to shift said second lever with respect to said link, and means including said electric motor operable upon such tilting of said carriage to shift said link to release the tilting engagement of said first lever with said carriage, whereby said tube is moved to circuitopen position.

9. In combination, a prime mover, mechanism adapted to be driven thereby, a variable-speed transmission unit connected between said prime mover and said mechanism, and automatic means for controlling saiditransmission in accordance with the demands of said mechanism comprising a movable element in said mechanism, and a. control unit including a reversing electric motor connected to shift the elements of said transmission unit, a rockable carriage, mercury-tube switches mounted on said carriage and connected in the circuits for said motor whereby said motor is energized for clockwise rotation by rocking of said carriage in one direction from its neutral position and for counterclockwise rotation by rocking of said carriage in the opposite direction from its neutral position, a lever operatively associated with said carriage, a link connected to oscillate said lever, a second lever stationarily pivoted intermediate its ends and pivoted at its one end to said link, means connecting said movable element to shift said second lever with respect to said link, and means connecting said motor to said link, whereby rotation of said motor in either direction in response to rocking of said carriage will restore said link to its original position with respect to said second lever.

HARRY C CLAY. CHARLES L. IRWIN. PAUL B. REEVES. 

